And La Paz County, Arizona
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~ Min.era] urces of t'he Cactu Plain »and East Cact s Plain Wild rness Study Areas, La Paz County, Arizona ARIZONA AVAILABILITY OF BOOKS AND MAPS OF THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Instructions on ordering publications of the U.S. Geological Survey, along with prices of the last offerings, are given in the cur rent-year issues of the monthly catalog "New Publications of the U.S. Geological Survey." Prices of available U.S. Geological Sur vey publications released prior to the current year are listed in the most recent annual "Price and Availability List" Publications that are listed in various U.S. Geological Survey catalogs (see back inside cover) but not listed in the most recent annual "Price and Availability List" are no longer available. Prices of reports released to the open files are given in the listing "U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Reports," updated month ly, which is for sale in microfiche from the U.S. Geological Survey, Books and Open-File Reports Section, Federal Center, Box 25425, Denver, CO 80225. Reports released through the NTIS may be obtained by writing to the National Technical Information Service, U.S. Department of Commerce, Springfield, VA 22161; please include NTIS report number with inquiry. Order U.S. Geological Survey publications by mail or over the counter from the offices given below. BY MAIL OVER THE COUNTER Books Books Professional Papers, Bulletins, Water-Supply Papers, Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations, Circulars, publications of general in Books of the U.S. Geological Survey are available over the terest (such as leaflets, pamphlets, booklets), single copies of Earthquakes counter at the following Geological Survey Public Inquiries Offices, all & Volcanoes, Preliminary Determination of Epicenters, and some mis of which are authorized agents of the Superintendent of Documents: cellaneous reports, including some of the foregoing series that have gone out of print at the Superintendent of Documents, are obtainable by mail from • WASHINGTON, D.C.--Main Interior Bldg., 2600 corridor, 18th and C Sts., NW. U.S. Geological Survey, Books and Open-File Reports • DENVER, Colorado--Federal Bldg., Rm. 169. 1961 Stout St. Federal Center, Box 25425 • LOS ANGELES, California--Federal Bldg., Rm. 7638, 300 N. Denver, CO 80225 Los Angeles St. • MENLO PARK, California--Bldg. 3 (Stop 533), Rm. 3128, Subscriptions to periodicals (Earthquakes & Volcanoes and 345 Midd1efield Rd. Preliminary Determination of Epicenters) can be obtained ONLY from • RESTON, Vfrginla--503 National Center, Rm. 1C402, 12201 the · Sunrise Valley Dr. • SALT LAKE CITY, Utah--Federal Bldg., Rm. 8105, 125 Superintendent of Documents South State St. Government Printing Office • SAN FRANCISCO; California--Customhouse, Rm. 504, 555 Washington, D.C. 20402 Battery St. • SPOKANE, Washington--U.S. Courthouse, Rm. 678, West (Check or money order must be payable to Superintendent of Docu 920 Riverside Ave.. ments.) • ANCHORAGE, Alaska--Rm. 101, 4230 University Dr. • ANCHORAGE, Alaska--Federal Bldg, Rm. E-146, 701 C St. Maps For maps, adch'ess mail orders to U.S. Geological Survey, Map Distribution Maps Federal Center, Box 25286 Maps may be purchased over the counter at the U.S. Geologi .Denver, CO 80225- cal Survey offices where books are sold (all addresses in above list) and at the following Geological Survey offices: Residents of Alaska may order maps from • ROLLA, Mlssourl--1400 Independence Rd. Abtska Distribution Section, U.S. Geological Survey, • DENVER, Colorado--Map Distribution, Bldg. 810, Federal New Federal Building - Box 12 Center 101 Twelfth Ave., Fairbanks, AK 99701 • FAIRBANKS, Alaska--New Federal Bldg., 101 Twelfth Ave. Chapter D Mineral Resources of the Cactus Plain and East Ca~tus Plain Wilderness Study Areas, La Paz· County, Arizona By RICHARD M. TOSDAL, ROBERT G. EPPINGER, JAMES A. ERDMAN, WILLIAM F. HANNA, JAMES A. PITKIN, H. RICHARD ·BLANK, JR., RICHARD M. O'LEARY, and . JOHN R. WATTERSON U.S. Geological Survey TERRY J. KREIDLER U.S. Bureau of Mines U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1704 MINERAL RESOURCES OF WILDERNESS STUDY AREAS: HAVASU REGION, ARIZONA U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MANUEL LUJAN, jR., Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Dallas L. Peck, Director Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1990 For sale by the Books and Open-File Reports Section U.S. Geological Survey Federal Center, Box 25425 Denver, CO 80225 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Mineral resources of the Cactus Plain and East Cactus Plain Wilderness Study Areas, La Paz County, Arizona/ by Richard Tosdal...[et al.]. p. cm.-(Mineral resources of wilderness study areas-Havasu region, Arizona : ch. D) (U.S. Geological Survey bulletin ; 1704-D) Includes bibliographical references. Supt. of Docs. no.: I 19.3:1 704-D 1. Mines and mineral resources-Arizona--Cactus Plain Wilderness. 2. Mines and mineral resources-Arizona-East Cactus Plain Wilderness. 3. Cactus Plain Wilderness (Ariz.) 4. East Cactus Plain Wilderness (Ariz.) I. Tosdal, Richard M. II. Series. Ill. Series: U.S. Geological Survey bulletin ; 1704-D. QE75.B9 no. 1704-D 557.3 s-dc 20 90-14078 [TN24.A] [553'.09791 '72] CIP STUDIES RELATED TO WILDERNESS Bureau of Land Management Wilderness Study Areas The Federal Land Policy and Management Act (Public Law 94-579, October 21, 1976) requires the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Bureau of Mines to conduct mineral surveys on certain areas to determine the mineral values, if any, that may be present. Results must be made available to the public and be submitted to the President and the Congress. This report presents the results of a mineral survey of the Cactus Plain (AZ-050- 014-NB) and East Cactus Plain (AZ-050-017) Wilderness Study Areas, La Paz County, Arizona. CONTENTS Summary Dl Absttact Dl Character and setting D1 Mineral resource potential and identified resources DJ Introduction DJ Location and physiography D4 Previous work D4 Methods D4 Acknowledgments D4 Appraisal of identified resources DS Mining activity DS Energy resources D6 Resource appraisal D6 Conclusions DlO Assessment of mineral resource potential DlO Geologic setting DlO Geochemical studies Dll Methods Dl2 Rock, stream-sediment, and heavy-mineral-concentrate samples DIS Creosotebush and paloverde samples D16 Bacillus cereus D17 Interpretation D17 Geophysical studies D18 Gravity data D20 Aeromagnetic data D21 Natural radioelement data D22 Mineral resource potential D23 Base and precious metals D23 Barite and fluorite D23 Manganese D24 Uranium D24 Beryllium D24 Bentonitic clay D24 Sand D24 Oil and gas D24 References cited D2S Appendixes D29 Definition of levels of mineral resource potential and certainty of assessment DJO Resource/reserve classification D31 Geologic time chart D32 FIGURES 1. Index map showing location of Cactus Plain and East Cactus Plain Wilderness Study Areas, La Paz County, Arizona D2 2. Map showing mineral resource potential and generalized geology of Cactus Plain and East Cactus Plain Wilderness Study Areas, La Paz County, Arizona D8 3. Geochemically anomalous areas in and near Cactus Plain and East Cactus Plain Wilderness Study Areas, La Paz County, Arizona D13 Contents V 4. Bouguer gravity anomaly map of Cactus Plain and East Cactus Plain Wilderness Study Areas, La Paz County, Arizona, and surrounding region Dl8 5. Residual total-intensity aeromagnetic map of the Whipple, Buckskin, and northern Plomosa Mountains, Arizona and California Dl9 6. Aeromagnetic anomaly map of Cactus Plain and East Cactus Plain Wilderness Study Areas, La Paz County, Arizona, and surrounding region D20 7. Aeromagnetic anomaly map of region northwest of lat 34 o N ., long 114 o W. that includes part of Cactus Plain Wilderness Study Area, La Paz County, Arizona D21 TABLES 1. Summary of production data for mineral districts within ihe mining districts in the region surrounding Cactus Plain and East Cactus Plain Wilderness Study Areas DS 2. Geochemical data for samples from Cactus Plain and East Cactus Plain Wilderness Study Areas D7 3. Analytical results for dune-sand samples from Cactus Plain and East Cactus Plain Wilderness Study Areas D7 4. Summary statistics for anomalous concentrations of elements from rock, stream sediment, heavy-mineral-concentrate, creosotebush, and paloverde samples; and for Bacillus cereus spore counts from samples collected in and around Cactus Plain and East Cactus Plain Wilderness Study Areas Dl4 · VI Contents Mineral Resources of the Cactus Plain and East Cactus Plain Wilderness Study Areas, La Paz County, Arizona By Richard M. Tosdal, Robert G. Eppinger, james A. Erdman, William F. Hanna, James A. Pitkin, H. Richard Blank Jr., Richard M. O'Leary, and John R. Watterson U.S. Geological Survey Terry J. Kreidler U.S. Bureau of Mines SUMMARY Plain Wilderness Study Area has moderate resource potential for barite. These same two areas of Cactus Plain Wilderness Abstract Study Area also have moderate resource potential for manga nese as well as low resource potential for uranium and beryl lium. The entire study area has low resource potential for The Cactus Plain (AZ~SD-014-NB) and East Cactus Plain bentonitic clay. The southern three-quarters of the East Cactus (AZ-050-017) Wilderness Study Areas are in west-central Ari Plain Wilderness Study Area and the northern half of the zona, about 4 mi southeast of Parker, Arizona. At the request Cactus Plain Wilderness Study Area have high resource po of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, a mineral survey of tential for sand suitable for foundry, fracturing, and abrasive approximately 79,065 acres was conducted by the U.S. Geo uses. The study area has no resource potential for oil and logical Survey and U.S. Bureau of Mines to appraise their gas. identified mineral resources (known) and to assess their mineral resource potential (undiscovered). In this report, "study area .